Signors to said friant



(Model.)

T. FRIANT 8v A. B. LINN.

CARPET SWEEPBR. No. 554,817. Patented Peb. 18, 1896.

Thomas Friant llcn .L'i 7z 71, @3% @ULO/ama? afd/45M, Vm

UNTTnn STATES PATENT @intron THOMAS FRIAN T AND ALLEN B. LINN, OF GRANDRAPIDS, MICHIGAN, AS-

SIGNORS TO SAID FRIANT, T. STEVART WHITE, GAIUS W. PERKINS, AND CHARLESJ. REED, OF SAME PLACE.

CARPET-SWEEPER.

SPIECIFICATIONv forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,817, datedFebruary 18, 1896.

Application led April 4, 1895. Serial No. 544,503. (Model.)

To all whom it may con/cern.-

Be it known that we, THOMAS FRINT and ALLEN B. LINN, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and Stateof Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCarpet-Sweepers; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable 1oothers skilled .in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame. f

Our invention relates to improvements in carpet-sweepers, and its objectis to provide the same with certain new and useful features, hereinaftermore fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lisan end elevation of a device ern- 2o bodying our invention; Fig. 2, alongitudinal vertical section of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. l Fig.3, ahorizontal section of one end of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig. l;Figs. 4 and 5, details showing the pan-operating mechanism, and Fig. 6 adetail of the hub of the drive-wheel.

Like letters refer to like parts in all of the figures. A represents thecase, provided with a bail,

3o the end portions of which bail are shown at vB B, pivoted tovertically-movable hangers C, said hangers having inwardly-projectingstuds C', on which the brush-shaft G is journaled. Said brush-shaft isprovided at each end with pulleys G', which are engaged by thedrive-wheels J to rotate said shaft.

D is a vertically-flexible strip of metal, which extends throughvertically-elongated openings A in the case, and also through 4oopenings in the hangers C, thus forming iiexible supports for saidhangers. The ends of said spring-strip are made concave and engage thebail B to sustain said bail in a vertical position. Said spring alsoengages blocks N N in the upper part of the case and located atsomedistance from each other and from the respective ends of saidspring. A bolt F passes through the middle of said strip D midwaybetween said blocks, and also through 5o the top of the case.

vvertically adjusts the normal position of the Y E is anupwardly-projecting iiange surrounding said bolt, and provided withsteps of various elevations.

F is a transverse bar engaging the steps of said flange and throughwhich the bolt F passes. Said bar is provided with a thumbpiece F toadjust the same upon the various steps of the iiange E, whereby themiddle of the spring D is vertically adj usted, which thus 6obrush-shaft G relative to the carpet. Any downward pressure on the bailB depresses the flexible outer ends of said spring D and thus lowers thebrush more or less from the so exerted.

L L are corner-irons, which serve to prolong the vertical sides of thecase and supportthe guard-bar H, which bar can thus be made of astraight strip of metal and engage with suitable openings in the saidcorner-irons, which irons project beyond said bar at each side, as at LL, to engage the respective sides of the flexible guard-band and retainthe same in place. Said corner-irons are secured in place by iianges L,screwed to the case, and by studs L passing through the case andprovided with lateral lugs to engage the inner surface of the same.Spring-tongues I are punched out of the stock of the guardbars andcurved inward, the free ends of said tongues being provided with slotsto engage the flattened ends K of the rods K, upon which rods thedrive-wheels are journaled. These spring-tongues being bent inward inthe curved form shown are vertically flexible, and thus yield topressure upon the bail to lower the device, and also horizontallyflexible, whereby they serve to force the drivewheels J in close contactwith the brush-pulleys C.

The dust-pans O are pivoted at each end at Q Q, and are opened andclosed and also held in each position by a spring-wire M bent atsubstantially right angles, and passing through 95 the end of the pannear said angle and close to one of the pivots Q. One arm, M', of saidwire extends diagonally upward and outward through the case and isprovided at its outer end with the thumb-piece Ml to turn the same rooon its axis. The other arm, M, of said wire is iiexible and extendsinward and passes downward and engages a slotted opening in the upperend of a post P in the pan O. By rotating the arm M the arm M turnslaterally at its inner end, and thus opens or closes the pan. Thedownward pressure of said arm M serves to hold the pan as said arm isturned to the respective sides ofthe line of the axis of the pan. Theslot l?l in the post l) permits the arm M to move to a greater distancefrom the said axial line and thus inereasesgits efficiency; but saidslot is not necessary. Any means of connecting the wire to the pan atthis point will operate, but with less leverage.

The hubs of the drive-wheels are east in the form of a shell around acore T of suitable antifriction material, and said hubs are providedwith inwardly-projecting lugs J to hold said material in place andpermit the escape of the gas in the process of casting.

1\Vhat"we claim isl. In a carpet-sweeper, a case, a verticallyiiexiblebar extending through verticallyelongated openings in the ends of thecase, a bail and brush-shaft supported by said bar, means for verticallyadjusting the middle of the bar and elevated supports on the top of thecase engaging said bar at each side of its middle and between the sameand its ends substantially as described.

2. In a carpet-sweeper, a case having vertically-elongated openings inits ends, a continuous iiexible bar extending through said openings,hangers attached to the respective ends of said bar, a bail pivoted tosaid hangers, a brush-shaft journaled 011 the same, a bolt passing through the case and through the middle of said bar, a transverse bar onsaid bolt, and an upwardly-projecting iiange having steps, and engagingsaid bar, and blocks at each side of said bolt and at a distancetherefrom and engaging said bar, substantially as described.

3. In a carpet-sweeper, a case having vertically-elon gated openings inits ends, a vertically-iiexible continuous bar passing through saidopenings,hangers attached to the respective ends of said bar, a bailpivoted to said hangers and engaged by the ends of said bar,

a brush-shaft journaled on said bar, Ablocks engaging said bar at eachside of its middle, and at a distance therefrom, a bolt passing throughsaid bar and case, an upwardly-pra jecting 'flange surrounding saidbolt, having steps of different elevations, a transverse bar rotativelyengaging said steps and the head of said bolt and provided with athumb-piece, substantially as described.

4:. In a carpet-sweeper, a case, corner-irons prolonging the verticalwalls of said case and secured to the same by studs having lateral lugsengaging the inner surface of the case and ilanges screwed to the case,and having sockets and projections, guard-bars supported by saidsockets, and a guard-band engaged by said projections, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a carpet-sweeper, a case, guard-bars, having spring-tongues madevertically and longitudinally flexible by bending, drivewheel journalsattached to the free ends of said tongues drive-wheels on said journals,and a brush-shaft, having pulleys engaged by said wheels, substantiallyas described.

G. In a carpet-sweeper, a case, a dust-pan pivoted to the same at eachend, a springwire having a substantially right-angle bend located nearthe pivot of said pan, one arm of said wire being rotative on its axisand extending through the case, the other arm of said wire engaging thepan at one side of the axial line of the same and pressing upon thesame, substantially as described.

7. In a carpet-sweeper, in combination with a case and a dust-panpivoted to the same, at each end, a spring-wire bent at substantiallyright angles and passing through the pan near the pivot and near theangle in said wire, one arm of said wire extending through the case andprovided with a thumb-piece, and a post attached to said pan, having aslotted Opeliing engaging said Wire, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

` THOMAS FRIANT.

ALLEN B. LINN. YVitnesses:

LEWIS E. FLANDERS, LUTHER V. MoUL'roN.

